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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23402263">(The things they don't know about) Miss Tonya</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/24kitkat/pseuds/24kitkat'>24kitkat</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Agent Carter (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Agent Carter - Freeform, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 05:33:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>18,476</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23402263</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/24kitkat/pseuds/24kitkat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>You think everyone would know all about America's national treasure and the international celebrity icon, but there's more to her than meets the eye.<br/>As cheeky as she is, she's careful not to get wrapped up into trouble, but once her brother is accused of selling weapons to the U.S.S.R., there's nothing she won't do to clear his name.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ana Jarvis/Edwin Jarvis, Jack Thompson/Tonya Stark, Peggy Carter/Daniel Sousa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Innocent Outlaws</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I do not own any of the characters in this book except Tonya Stark. All the other characters belong to Marvel.<br/>The best versions of my Marvel Stories are on my Wattpad (https://www.wattpad.com/user/2KitKat4), because I can post the extra parts properly there, but I thought I would post them here too for those of you who don't have Wattpad. If you do have it, I would advise reading it there instead.</p>
    </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Suggestive comments (nothing explicit)<br/>Spoilers: Agent Carter Season 1</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Peggy had barely placed her bag down on her desk when a scarlet light began flashing and a blaring alarm sounded. The agents in the bullpen reacted quickly, dropping whatever they were holding and marching purposefully towards the conference room.<br/>“Agent Carter,” the Brit turned to see Chief Dooley striding out of his office and past the front of her desk. “We just caught a redball out of D.C.. All hands on deck...”<br/>In a quick manner with an air of dutifulness, she grabbed the clipboard in front of her and moved to hurry after him, stopping short at his interruption.<br/>“…meaning, cover the phones.”<br/>Like hell she was just going to sit in here doing the dirty work, missing the action that was always left selfishly to the men; she was just as capable, if not more so, as all of the agents in there. With an indignant frown, she turned and curtly picked up the phone on her desk. “Rose, forward all calls to the briefing room.” She slammed the handset back into its receiver pointedly and turned to find a disgruntled, but weary, Dooley glowering at her.<br/>“Covered,” she fought the urge to smirk as she marched past him. “Shall we?”<br/>As she stepped into the room now filled with agents, he refused to even look at her, as if he could simply pretend she wasn’t there, but he knew that she’d undoubtedly make her unwanted presence known at some point. He sighed and shook his head before following her into the room.<br/>A fanfare played as the projection film started, flashing the words ‘Millionaire… Playboy… Traitor?’ onto the screen. Peggy rolled her eyes – scandals were always dramatically exaggerated for entertainment these days – was ordinary life really that boring that a series of white capital letters were needed to liven things up? <br/>“Americans have long followed the career of inventor Howard Stark…”<br/>Despite herself, Peggy smiled softly as images of her friend flashed onto the screen, bringing up memories of their exploits in the war with Erskine and Steve…<br/>Her gentle memories ended abruptedly to allow her to roll her eyes as at least seven different women appeared in images and video recordings with Howard on several occasions. She did hope he’d settle down at some point, though admittedly, she couldn’t envision it.<br/>“…accused of selling weapons to the enemy, the founder of Stark Industries was recently called to Capitol Hill.”<br/>This had been in her mind already since that morning when she’d read the headline of the newspapers, and it still sounded as ridiculous as before. She knew Howard was careless and impulsive at best, but his deepest loyalties were unwavering; he’d never do something as irresponsible and treasonous as selling his inventions to the enemy, especially since he knew their extraordinary potential thanks to his high intelligence and boundless arrogance.<br/>Her eyes rolled again as Howard made a witty comment in response to a question he’d been asked regarding the weapons. This entire ordeal would be so much easier for him if he took it seriously, but she knew that was something he was incapable of.<br/>The clip continued.<br/>“The much-loved actress and international celebrity icon, Miss Tonya Stark, is also suspected of being involved in Howard Stark’s crimes…”<br/>A few of the men shuffled uncomfortably. Peggy rolled her eyes; they always got like this when a woman was involved, especially one as beautiful as Tonya. She did feel a pang of fear though – she was as good friends with Tonya as she was Howard, and she knew that, despite her cheeky personality, the actress was practically a saint and clever enough to not get roped into such misdeeds. She only wished she could say the same for Howard.<br/>“Hang on a minute, Chief…” one of the agents piped up in an attempt to voice what they were all thinking. None of them felt like going out and arresting one of the most famous women on the planet.<br/>Chief Dooley held up his hand to silence the agent, though he looked reluctant to do so. Clearly his thoughts agreed with theirs.<br/>They all turned back to the screen.<br/>“After a show two nights ago, Miss Stark was swarmed by a crowd of fans and press, one of whom asked the question we’ve all been dying to know the answer to…”<br/>The film flicked to a wobbly video of Tonya walking towards a long car in a stunning dress, probably her signature red colour, though it was impossible to tell on the black and white screen, with a soft fur coat on her shoulders. Faux fur, of course, Peggy knew, as Tonya was an animal rights activist and would never wear such an item if it originally belonged to another living creature, though none of the press cared about that side of her. They only wanted to capture and write about her appearance – that’s all anybody seemed to be interested in when it came to women.<br/>The Tonya in the video smiled widely, showing her perfect teeth as the cameras flashed and people shouted around her. She beamed for all the pictures and stopped to sign a few photos and programmes from the show that had just finished. She looked up at one particularly persistent journalist, who snatched his opportunity and cried:<br/>“Tonya! Tonya! What do you have to say about your brother, Howard Stark, selling weapons to the U.S.S.R.?”<br/>At the question, the dazzling smile immediately dropped from her face as her eyebrows knitted together.<br/>“Well if I had to say something, I’d say that that’s a lie. Howard has never done anything of the sort and never will,” she raised an eyebrow, as if challenging the man to follow up her curt statement.<br/>He didn’t have to, because now that the door had been opened, another man leapt over the threshold.<br/>“Miss Stark! Do you know that Mr Stark didn’t turn up to his last court hearing earlier today and is therefore now considered a guilty man and a fugitive from justice?”<br/>Her frown only grew deeper. “Technically he’s not guilty. Nothing was explicitly proven and, according to law, he’s innocent until proven guilty. But of course I knew about that – he’s my brother,” She shrugged and hugged the coat around her tighter. She turned back to the rest of the crowd, who were quieter than they had been before as they were listening intently to what she had to say. Her smile returned and she said: “Thank you, that will be all,” before quickly ducking into the car, as the crowd clamoured noisily again.<br/>The clip ended and Dooley rolled the screen up. He sighed and turned to the men and Peggy around the table.<br/>“So far, six pieces of Stark’s technology have turned up either on the black market or in the arsenals of enemy states.”<br/>Peggy frowned subtly, in order to avoid being unnecessarily called about by Dooley or another of the agents. There was solid evidence that Stark’s weapons had ended up in the wrong hands and fingers were being pointed at the rich inventor, but it simply did not add up for her.<br/>“Two days ago, it was the final day of hearings: Stark didn’t show. After her little statement she gave the press that same night,” Dooley gestured behind him to where the screen had been. “Miss Stark was taken in for questioning. She answered all the basic stuff, but when they got to asking about Stark and where he was, she refused to even speak. They kept her in custody for the night, planning to continue the interrogation in the morning, but she escaped. Guards sedated, no Tonya and a great dirty hole in the wall was all they found the next day. Some of the press have already heard about it and conspirators are saying that it was Stark who helped her get out. They checked their half a dozen houses and their half a dozen offices: nothing. So, as of this moment, Howard Stark is not only in contempt of Congress, he’s a fugitive from justice. Now I don’t wanna accuse Little Miss National Treasure of being involved in this scandal, but all the recent information seems to be adding up to her complicity, so she is to be regarded as an unlawful associate to the said fugitive from justice.”<br/>There was a tense silence as Dooley allowed the room to process this barrel of information.<br/>“Find Stark. Squeeze him until he loses his sense of humour,” he gestured to the blond agent sat at the front of the table. “Thompson, you lead.”<br/>Without hesitation the agent placed his pen down and sat up straighter. “I’ll ground their planes and freeze both their bank accounts,” he shrugged with a smirk. “There’s a girl at First Federal who wants to owe me a favour.”<br/>Peggy sent a glare to Thompson and took this opportunity to interject; she’d rather not hear any more about Thompson’s First Federal girl. “Sir, I really must object–” she looked to Dooley, who interrupted before she could even finish.<br/>“Why am I not surprised?” he gestured to her, rolling his eyes and staring at her in indignant disbelief.<br/>She continued, regardless. “I knew Howard and Tonya during the war. Their help was invaluable. Howard may be a great many things, but he’s not a traitor.”<br/>“We all know Tonya’s a great many things too, don’t we?” Krzeminski muttered, earning crude chuckles and quiet whistles from the agents around the table. “I’m sure she was an invaluable source help to many of the soldiers.”<br/>Peggy was tempted to hit the obnoxious man over the head with her clipboard, and Dooley must have seen the look in her eye, because he waved a dismissive hand at the agent, though not without a smirk of his own.<br/>“We’re all aware of your record, Agent,” he returned to Peggy. “I’m sure being Captain America’s… liaison brought you into contact with all sorts of interesting people,” Dooley raised an eyebrow suggestively and Peggy’s face hardened. Krzeminski looked up at her from his seat with a smug grin plastered on his infuriating face. “But the war’s over. Let the professionals decide who’s worth going after.”<br/>With that, he left the room, which the other agents took as an indication to return to whatever they had been doing previously.<br/>Krzeminski couldn’t resist getting a final dig, as he leaned over to the agent sat beside him before they left. “Sounds like Carter knew a lot of guys during the war. Lucky to know Tonya too… what I wouldn’t give to–”<br/>Peggy glanced at the agent, about to make a remark before Sousa interrupted him first.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Two Shots of Charisma</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Violence and use of a gun (basically just PG stuff though)<br/>Spoilers: Agent Carter Season 1</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“See you later,” Angie said with a roll of her eyes as she stood up to attend to the vile man and his impudent remarks.<br/>
Peggy sat at her table with her newspaper pondering for another moment before standing and walking over to the vending machine and selecting a ten-cent cream cake. As she returned to her table, she immediately noticed some scrawl on a napkin: ‘Meet in the alley in 5 minutes’. After reading it she subtly folded it over and glanced surreptitiously around the diner. She only saw Angie, the rude man and a few other customers; she didn’t notice anyone new. Reaching for her red pocketbook containing her pistol, she held the folded napkin in her other hand and stood up to go to the back door.<br/>
The large metal door clanked loudly when she turned the handle and stepped out into the alley. Before the door had even closed behind her, a voice called out from the shadows.<br/>
“Miss Carter?”<br/>
Turning her head, slightly surprised at the British accent, she confirmed this wasn’t a tone she recognised.<br/>
“Do I know you?” she enquired, in case she had been mistaken, which was a rare occurrence.<br/>
“Oh, we haven’t had the pleasure,” The tall man in a hat and a grey suit that stepped out from the darkness and continued until he was only a few paces from her was one she was certain she didn’t recognise. “But we may yet.”<br/>
She took a few steps towards him as he raised his head to properly reveal his face.<br/>
“You’re coming with me.”<br/>
At that exact moment, a car on the other side of the archway behind the man ignited its engine and its two startling white eyes shone down the alley. Peggy grunted and swung her fist into the man’s face, causing his hat to fly backwards off his head, and then knocked him down with her other hand for good measure. As the cream coloured car squealed through the archway, she briefly noticed two people sat in the front – one driving, the other in the passenger seat – but the heat of the moment and the speed of the car didn’t give her time to work out whether she recognised them, so she took the option to run back inside.<br/>
She snatched her pocketbook from the sidewalk where she’d dropped it to free herself to attack the man and leapt towards the metal door. However, upon yanking at the handle, she discovered it had locked itself when it closed behind her. The car kept coming nearer so she began to sprint down the alley, which would have ordinarily proved difficult in heels, but was an impressive skill she had mastered in her eventful life. Behind her, she heard the tires of the car screech as it manoeuvred around the twist of the alley as fast as it could.<br/>
Tugging on the handle of another door, this one thicker with a dusty square window at head-height, she was left exposed once again as it refused to open. Without a moment of hesitation, she whipped her pistol from the crimson of her clutch and pointed it at the wheels of the Chevrolet gaining on her. Hitting the target, the car swerved and crashed into a pile of wooden crates with a hiss as the wheel deflated. She held the pistol towards the front door as it swung open and an admittedly charismatic man leaned out, though Peggy decided that the majority of the world would label this man as one of the most charismatic people in the world.<br/>
“I know,” Howard shrugged slightly, having the decency to look at least a tad apologetic at the scene he just caused, though it certainly wasn’t his first and she could only wish it would be his last. “I should’ve called first.”<br/>
Peggy lowered the pistol, an expression that could only be described as a mixture of shock, relief and annoyance plastered on her face at the sight of her old friend.<br/>
A delicate hand appeared on his shoulder, as a voice she was well acquainted with this time chirped from the passenger seat, though Peggy knew not to judge by appearances as she’d seen the way that hand could hold a gun when it needed to.<br/>
“I did tell him to, but you know what he’s like,” interestingly, another face that would appear on the charismatic leaderboard leaned forward towards her brother so she could be seen by Peggy. “You’d think he was the actor with all his dramatics.”<br/>
Tonya smirked up at Peggy, who had quickly recovered from the initial shock and managed to return an amusedly irate smile, as Howard nudged her jokingly with the elbow of his arm resting on the steering wheel.<br/>
He then raised an eyebrow and a smirk, matching his sister’s, slipped onto his face.<br/>
“Did you miss us?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Told You So</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Violence and use of a gun (basically just PG stuff though - same as the last chapter)<br/>Spoilers: Agent Carter Season 1</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“This is a bad idea.”<br/>
“You’re no fun.”<br/>
“Howard, I’d usually be up for the whole ‘let’s roll in, unannounced, just to see the hilarious look on their face’, kind of thing, but this is Peggy freaking Carter. She’s not gonna take this easy, I’m telling you…”<br/>
They were sat in the front of Howard’s cream Chevrolet – or perhaps it was Jarvis’, then again, the butler rarely used it for anything other than driving Howard or driving to do something for Howard, so it might as well have been her brother’s (they honestly had too many to keep track of at this point) – slouching slightly under the dim streetlights, but hoping the darkness of the car itself was enough to disguise them, though Tonya came to wonder how many people around here owned such an expensive vehicle so that they wouldn’t stand out; she decided to ignore her private conclusion.<br/>
She’d jumped into the passenger seat through the small gap between the two front chairs after Howard had switched to the driver’s seat when Jarvis had got out. Howard had begun to make an impish remark on how ‘unladylike’ such an action was until he had to quickly dodge a slap to the side of his head. He’d already commented on the drooping hat she was wearing but was silenced as she snapped back that at least this way she was less likely to be recognised than he was and she snidely wished him luck back in court when he was caught. Though he grumbled then, it didn’t stop him teasing her at every opportunity afterwards, though he couldn’t be blamed when she was doing much the same in return.<br/>
“Yeah, well,” Howard shrugged, not taking his eyes off Jarvis’ position in the shadows. “It’s all gonna work out anyway. She’ll sort this out for us, you know.” He looked at her now, leaning on the wheel as she turned to look him in the eye.<br/>
“She’d better. There’s only so many of your messes you can worm us out of, Howard.” she tapped his shoulder in an attempt to lighten the mood slightly; neither of them enjoyed serious conversations, much less so with each other, but they knew this could be the worst trouble they’d been in yet, and that was saying something.<br/>
“Hey, this ain’t just my mess! They’re partially your inventions too – you helped me build most of them.”<br/>
Tonya rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Oh, so now they’ve landed you in trouble you ain’t claiming them? I remember you whistling to a very different tune when it came to the finances, Howard. Besides, it was your vault they were stolen from and it wasn’t me strutting into that courtroom either, now was it?”<br/>
“Alright, alright!” Howard chuckled as he shoved at his sister’s arm to shut her up. “Fine, I’ll claim partial responsibility–”<br/>
“Majority, I think you’ll find–”<br/>
“Shhh…” she was cut off as Howard waved his hand at her.<br/>
“Don’t shush me, I’m right!” she exclaimed in mirthful indignation.<br/>
She stopped again as he shook his head, eyes fixated on something ahead. “No, no, look,” she turned to find what he was gazing at. “She’s here.”<br/>
Her head snapped up and she saw Peggy illuminated in the light over a metal door, presumably the one she’d just come out of. She was looking at Jarvis, who had stepped out of the shadows and was saying something they couldn’t hear. Just after Peggy took a step towards the butler, Howard’s hand crept up to the key in the ignition.<br/>
“Howard, what are you–”<br/>
Before Tonya could stop him, he’d twisted the key and the car roared to life, the bright lights shining down the alley. Clearly sensing the apparent hostility of the situation, Peggy absolutely decked poor Jarvis twice in the face, knocking him to the ground.<br/>
Tonya sighed and shook her head. “Told you so.” But Howard conveniently didn’t seem to hear her as he swiftly drove the car forwards after the fleeing Peggy.<br/>
“Wouldn’t now be a good time to get out of the car?”<br/>
Howard just kept driving as if he couldn’t even hear her. Tonya, used to his antics by now, was going to sit back and let him do this thing until Peggy pulled a pistol out of her pocketbook.<br/>
“Howard Stark, stop the freaking car!”<br/>
To her annoyance, her ridiculous brother didn’t stop until he was forced to by a bullet to the wheel and a pile of crates to the bonnet.<br/>
“I hate you…” she muttered as her brother sighed and opened his door to address the gun-wielding agent.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Bad Babies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Mentions of weapons/dangerous inventions<br/>Spoilers: Agent Carter Season 1</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“They’re calling you both traitors – mainly you, Howard, but it looks like you’ve dragged poor Tonya into this.” Peggy informed them as she sat beside Howard in the back seat.<br/>
“Wouldn’t be the first time…” Tonya muttered, with a hint of amusement, but making her annoyance clear, from her position in the front seat beside the driver, who Peggy had learnt was called Mr Jarvis and was rather undeserving of her attack; she did see some justification in it, however, given the enmity of the situation Howard had conjured.<br/>
“Ah, she loves the drama,” Howard dismissed as Tonya rolled her eyes. “Besides, I’m calling it a setup.”<br/>
He paused for a moment, glancing around, as if someone could be listening in on their conversation taking place inside their moving car. “I have a vault–”<br/>
“’Had’, you should say.” Tonya corrected.<br/>
Howard glared a little but continued without acknowledging his sister’s remark. “Sub-basement of my office… triple-thick, lead-lined. It was where I kept my bad babies…”<br/>
The actress in the front gave a small snicker as Peggy raised an eyebrow. “Bad babies?”<br/>
“Inventions too dangerous for anyone,” Howard expanded. “Even my friends.”<br/>
“Which begs the question, why invent them at all?”<br/>
“Exactly what I asked him, Peg!” Tonya gestured wildly from the front, nearly giving poor Jarvis his third blow of the day.<br/>
Howard frowned. “Hey, you helped with some of the calculations for those things!”<br/>
“Unknowingly!” Tonya protested.<br/>
“Anyway, I can’t help what I think of, but I can damn well control what I sell,” Howard went on as they turned down a side road. “At least I could until last month.”<br/>
“What happened last month?” Peggy questioned.<br/>
“We were in Monaco,” Howard paused and gazed dreamily at nothing. “With a lovely tax advisor…”<br/>
Tonya chimed in from the front. “Irrelevant!”<br/>
Peggy tried not to smirk as Howard carried on as though he hadn’t heard his sister. “When I got back, I found a hole under my vault, all the way to the sewer. Somebody cleaned me out. A couple of weeks later, my bad babies, they start turning up on the black market–”<br/>
“But why run?” Peggy interrupted. “Why not tell the Senate the truth, ask for their help?”<br/>
“Apparently, it’s not too big a jump to see him cutting a hole in his own vault and making some money on the sly.” Tonya offered an explanation.<br/>
Peggy raised an eyebrow with a smirk and Howard’s expression quickly changed to one of hurt and disbelief.<br/>
“Really?” he snapped indignantly as Tonya laughed as she realised what Peggy was insinuating.<br/>
“I’m just considering all the angles,” the agent smoothly excused. “Seems you have a lot of them.”<br/>
The millionaire quickly got over the blow to his pride and smirked back at her. “Now, that’s the Peggy Carter I need.”<br/>
“For what?”<br/>
“To clear my name.”<br/>
“Our names!”<br/>
“You can’t be serious!”<br/>
“I try not to be, but sometimes it just slips out anyway.” Howard joked.<br/>
There were a few seconds of silence as Peggy looked at Howard in shock, then to Tonya, who by this point had twisted in her seat to face them, so as to be more involved in the conversation, then back to Howard.<br/>
“Oh, come on, Peg. You know darn well I didn’t do this, which means the S.S.R. is looking for the wrong guy, and apparently now the wrong girl too,” he gestured to Tonya. “We want to find the right guy, but I’m gonna need someone on the inside, someone I can trust, and, Peg,” he turned to look at her after glancing out the window with what must have been the fifth time he’d worn such an serious expression that night, but one of the only ones Peggy had seen on him in the time she had known him. “There’s no one I trust more than you.”<br/>
“Oh, none taken…” Tonya scoffed.<br/>
“Howard, you’re asking me to become a traitor in order to prove that you two aren’t, you do see the irony?”<br/>
“Oh, come on, Peg,” Howard sighed. “I know they’re not using you right over there.”<br/>
She turned her head so she didn’t have to look him in the eye but found there was no escape as she was now facing Tonya, whose eyes conveyed the exact sincerity of Howard’s next words.<br/>
“You want a mission that matters? This is it.”<br/>
“My technology in the hands of some nut that wants to be the next Red Skull,” Howard glanced forward again. “You have no idea how bad that could be.”<br/>
“Right now,” Tonya added, solemnly. “You’re the only one that can stop that.”<br/>
A moment passed in silence as they pulled up alongside a dock.<br/>
“Here’s good.” Howard stated and Jarvis brought the car to a stop.<br/>
“That’s how you park, Howard,” Tonya poked with a grin. “Maybe Jarvis should give you driving lessons.”<br/>
“Yeah, yeah,” Howard chuckled and punched her shoulder gently before addressing Jarvis again. “Kill the lights.”<br/>
All four of them exited the car and Jarvis silently opened the trunk to hand Howard and Tonya their suitcases.<br/>
“Where are you two headed?” Peggy asked as they descended the ramp to a dark platform where a single boat was harboured.<br/>
Howard paused and glanced at Tonya who frowned at him questioningly before he quickly replied. “Some of my babies have already sold overseas. I’m gonna pay them a visit. The rest of them are here somewhere, which is where you come in,” he reached forward and grabbed Tonya’s hand as she was about to step into the boat. “You too.”<br/>
“What? No, what are you talking about? I’m coming with you–”<br/>
“I need you to stay here, Ton…”<br/>
“Is this some ridiculous escapade to have some alone time with another fling, because I have had it up to–”<br/>
Howard shook his head quickly and bent down to put his suitcase on the floor, taking hers from her hand to do the same, allowing him to grasp both her hands in his and make her look him in the eye. “I never wanted to get you involved in this, sis.”<br/>
“Well, maybe you should have thought have that before you blasted a hole in a wall and broke me out of jail!”<br/>
“I know, I know, I’ve messed up big time, and I know I keep saying that they’re your inventions too, but really, this is all down to me,” he continued and held her hands a little tighter as he noticed her about to interrupt in his defence. “I got no excuses this time. I’m sorry, I really am. We’re gonna sort this out. I’m gonna go find the ones out there and Peggy’ll look here, but I need you to stay here with her. You can get your name cleared quicker than mine, they’ve got no actual evidence against you and I want it to stay that way.”<br/>
Tonya sighed. She knew this was the right thing to do; she was more help here than with Howard and clearing her name first would set them on the right track, but she hated the thought of leaving Howard to go on alone in the middle of all this mess. “But I packed and everything...” she smirked, hoping he’d understand the real reason she was reluctant to stay.<br/>
Howard smiled at her, a knowing shine in his eye as he looked at her. “I’ll take you away some other time then, when all this is over.”<br/>
She rolled her eyes and chuckled. “Sure, unless you’ve got a better girl to take with you…”<br/>
“Despite what everyone thinks,” Howard smirked, though his words were genuine. “There’s no better girl in my life than you, sis.”<br/>
Tonya grinned and embraced him tightly. Howard returned the hug, kissing her cheek as he pulled away. She stepped back to stand beside Peggy with her suitcase as he picked up his own and hopped into the motorboat.<br/>
“Word is,” Howard called back to the two women. “One of the nasty ones is hitting in market in the next day or two.”<br/>
“What is it?” Peggy questioned.<br/>
“Just a piece of paper.” Howard pushed his suitcase into the compartment in the front near the wheel before straightening up.<br/>
“The molecular nitramene formula?” Tonya asked and Howard nodded. “I thought we weren’t even sure whether it works?”<br/>
The inventor shrugged. “Well, let’s face it, I invented it, so it works.”<br/>
The two women shared a look and rolled their eyes as Howard jumped back up onto the platform. Tonya knew what this stuff could do, so she took this moment to take her suitcase back up to the car where Jarvis was waiting.<br/>
“Did you know?” she asked the butler, who was stood obediently at the top of the ramp, as if waiting to return her suitcase to the car.<br/>
“Mr Stark is full of surprises, Miss,” he answered vaguely and offered to store her suitcase for her, which she accepted with thanks.<br/>
“I hope he keeps out of trouble…” she muttered and started back down the ramp to Peggy and her brother.<br/>
“As do I, Miss.”<br/>
She reached the platform again as Howard broke his goodbye embrace from Peggy and sent his sister a smile over the agent’s shoulder.<br/>
“There are only a dozen fences that can handle something this hot,” he shouted to them at a volume Tonya would have disliked given the circumstances but didn’t remark on as there was no one else around. Howard leant down to start the boat’s engine. “You just got to learn which one and I figured you’d never have any trouble finding a man.” He turned the wheel and the boat turned to face the open water.<br/>
“The trick is finding the right one.” Peggy stated with a smirk, which Howard returned over his shoulder before he drove out and away from the platform.<br/>
“Nice to see you too, Howard,” the agent murmured to the retreating boat, though the man was certainly out of earshot by now, as Tonya gave a small wave.<br/>
“Are you alright?”<br/>
The actress was almost caught off-guard by the gentle enquiry. She sighed a little and then nodded. “I will be once this is all sorted out… and when I’ve unpacked.” She chuckled and they turned to walk back up the ramp to Jarvis waiting patiently at the top.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Stark Subject</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: None (let me know if I missed any worth mentioning)<br/>Spoilers: Agent Carter Season 1</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Peggy had barely stepped out of the elevator when she was immediately hit by an air of active franticness; every agent in sight was out of his seat, bustling around, making calls, exchanging files, there was even a small crowd of several more esteemed agents around Chief Dooley, evidently discussing vital evidence for something. However, the cause of such commotion was still unclear to her - had they heard Howard had left already? How did they find out? Did they know where he was? Had they already caught him?<br/>
Thankfully, a helpful source of information limped past her as she made her way to her desk.<br/>
"Sousa, what's going on?"<br/>
He didn't seem to have noticed her before she spoke. Like everyone else, he had been busy with some errand to contribute to the current matter.<br/>
"Get this," he spoke faster than usual, but was clearly eager to be the one to shed light on what was apparently such an excitement. "None other than Tonya Stark herself has just popped up at the local station. From what I've heard, she's saying her disappearance had nothing to do with Stark and she was pretty worked up about the whole thing too."<br/>
It wasn't difficult to act surprised: this was news, even to Peggy, given her new involvement in the Starks' lastest issue. She had wondered how Tonya was planning to reintroduce herself amidst her brother's scandal. Howard had left her in an awkward position, breaking her out of jail and then leaving her free as he escaped. He hadn't exactly made it easy for her.<br/>
"Really?" she tried to sound more incredulous than concerned for her friend. "Where is she now then?"<br/>
"Well, given everything with Stark at the moment, the police at the station she turned up at called us straight away, and Chief sent some men to collect her and bring her back here. It's gonna be a piece of work for him, trying to keep this whole agency covert while dragging in one of the most famous women on the planet."<br/>
"Is she going to be held here then? If Howard didn't break her out, why do the S.S.R. need her here at all?"<br/>
"Technically, we've only got her word for that," Sousa went on as Peggy followed him around while he continued retrieving files for himself and other agents. "I think they're bringing her in for questioning, find out what really happened or if she knows anything about Stark either way. That's what all this is..."<br/>
He gestured to the wild melee of agents around them.<br/>
"Everyone's digging up everything and anything we have on the two of them, seeing what we have to work with. Let's hope whoever got her out let her get some sleep: she's in for the longest interview she's ever had, though it'll be unlike anything she's had for one of her films before, I can tell you that."<br/>
Peggy was about to ask more, when she was finally acknowledged by Chief Dooley, despite the man's obvious preoccupation with his huddle of agents around him.<br/>
"Carter! Will you stop following Sousa like some lost dog and do something helpful like the rest of us? If you insist on working here, at least make yourself useful!"<br/>
Before he could make another cutting remark, Peggy was saved by the woman herself as she was marched in by two other agents. A strange and sudden silence fell over the previous babble that had filled the room as every agent present stopped what they were doing to look at her. Peggy wasn't sure if it was because she had been the focus of everyone's morning or if it was the typical ogling the poor actress regularly received, but Peggy felt uncomfortable on her friend's behalf either way.<br/>
Dooley stepped forward in command, but before he could take control, Tonya herself spoke up.<br/>
"What's the meaning of this?" she demanded, looking around the room with indignant exasperation, smoothly not allowing her eyes to rest for too long on Peggy, who resisted the urge to give her a knowing smile. "I get kidnapped from what I was told is a secure jail cell, which was already an embarrassing inconvenience itself, and now I'm marched into some bombastic, glorified police centre with absolutely no explanation, which I demand this instant."<br/>
Even the Chief himself was taken aback by her abrupt directness. It was clear that she was, or at least had been, in a rather upset state, though Peggy silently congratulated Tonya on the use of her superior acting skills here. He certainly hadn't been expecting this apparently vulnerable woman to speak up in such a way, especially given her widespread reputation for being incredibly amicable.<br/>
Quickly recovering, Dooley took his turn to speak. "Miss Stark, I apologise for this situation we find ourselves in, but we've brought you here, because we have a few questions to ask you."<br/>
"Is this about my brother?" Tonya interjected as Dooley gritted his teeth, reminding himself that she was a widely adored actress and Chief or not, yelling at her would turn a few opinions against him in the room. "Because if it is, I'll tell you the same as the police-"<br/>
"We've still got a few things praying on our minds," Dooley cut in before it looked too much like he was being scolded by his own suspect. "Entertain our ideas for us, will you?" His quip earned a few subdued chuckles from the agents around, who were stunned to be greeted by furious glares from Tonya.<br/>
"You'll learn pretty quick that I don't like being interrupted and I certainly won't be entertaining anyone around her anytime soon." Tonya snapped irately.<br/>
Dooley didn't move his gaze from hers as he tried to ignore the awestruck mutters and whispers from the agents around him. He glanced at one of the agents behind her and gave him a small nod. "Can we continue this... discussion in the interrogation room, Miss Stark?"<br/>
It was clear he wasn't asking as the agent went to take her arm to guide her there. She roughly shrugged herself out of his grasp with a snappy remark about being able to walk just fine by herself, though she proceeded to follow him to the small room in the hallway.<br/>
Chief Dooley let out a breath of what Peggy amusedly regarded as relief. He turned to Thompson who was, unsurprisingly, at his shoulder.<br/>
"Let's do this then," he looked around, raising his voice, back to his commanding self now that he was confident he had control of the room. "I don't remember telling none of you to stop. Keep digging. Find more for us to work with. Bring it to me sharpish when you do. Get to it!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. A Different Kind of Interview</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Tiniest mention of violence<br/>Spoilers: Agent Carter Season 1</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“We’re not doing the stick thing, right, Chief?” Thompson tried to sound casual, but he couldn’t keep the hint of anxiety out of his voice; he didn’t fancy being the guy who beat up the most loved actress in America.<br/>
Dooley looked at him reproachfully. Thompson thought this must be what it felt like to be Krzeminski.<br/>
“What do you take me for, Thompson?” he scoffed. “It’s bad enough we had to bring her here. If we send her out looking how the guys you deal with usually look, they’re gonna ask some unavoidable questions.”<br/>
The Chief shook his head, and Thompson wasn’t sure whether it was at his stupidity in enquiring such a thing or whether he was simply trying to clear his mind. If it was the latter, it must have worked, because a moment later, the short man before him continued speaking.<br/>
“No, we’re gonna call this a… different kind of interview. We don’t want her or anyone else spreading rumours that she got interrogated or we might get the media on our tail.”<br/>
By now, they had reached the door, and Thompson had stayed slightly behind Dooley to let his superior into the room first. He had presumed they would be following the stick routine, minus the stick of course, and was prepared to take his usual position at the door while Dooley interrogated – or interviewed – Miss Stark at the table. Therefore, he was surprised when his boss stood aside and nodded to the door in front of them.<br/>
“Since we’re straying from our usual style, I thought this would be a good chance for you to practise some verbal investigation, Thompson.”<br/>
He may not have been good with words, but Thompson wasn’t an idiot, or maybe he was just paranoid. Either way, his logic concluded this gesture to be Dooley’s way of subtly using him as a scapegoat: if they did get exposed to the public because of Tonya’s involvement, one of the first people the media would go after would be the man who interrogated the woman herself. Sure, Dooley would get into some mess anyway considering he was the Chief of the branch, but Thompson supposed he was avoiding as much trouble as possible for himself, even if that meant throwing his best man under the bus.<br/>
Still, his thoughts could simply be paranoia, and although he was patently in Dooley’s favour, he was certainly in no position to object to a direct order from his Chief.<br/>
So, the blond agent found himself settling in Dooley’s usual seat. For a moment he found himself lost for words as he stared at the woman sat across from him. He wasn’t sure what it was that made him pause exactly – he’d seen her countless times before: her face was almost always in the papers or on a poster somewhere; he’d technically seen her in person just five minutes ago out in the bullpen. Perhaps it was the nerves, no, shock of being given an unfamiliar responsibility just seconds before he entered the room. Yes, it was definitely that, nothing else.<br/>
He glanced around slightly, almost forgetting that Dooley had simply opened the door for him, but not followed; presumably he’d gone into the adjoining room and was watching through the one-way mirror. Dooley was watching. How long had he just been sat there? Tonya didn’t look particularly phased, so he hoped it had only been a few seconds, but he supposed he should make a start sooner rather than later.<br/>
“Miss Stark, I–”<br/>
“Who are you?”<br/>
He blinked. It had taken him long enough to come up with something to start with and now he hadn’t even got the chance to say it. It didn’t seem like the best idea giving her his name considering his previous worries; he glanced around again, as though expecting Dooley to appear and give him a reassuring nod. However, with no Dooley and only his own ideas, he got the impression that he wasn’t going to get a lot out of her if he didn’t oblige to her minor requests. She’d probably find out his name at some point – she might already know it, and this is some sort of test like he thought.<br/>
“Thompson. Agent Thompson,” he replied after what he hoped wasn’t a significant pause. “I’m going to ask you a few questions.”<br/>
He noticed her frown and open her mouth, so he continued before she could interrupt his flow again.<br/>
“There’s no need to be concerned, Miss Stark,” he tried to sound reassuring, remembering Dooley’s words to him. “Just think of this like a different kind of interview to what you’re used to.”<br/>
He watched as she took this in, and he could almost see her mind working behind her eyes.<br/>
“Okay, then. I suggest you get on with it, because I lose interest in things quite easily.”<br/>
Trying not to be taken aback yet again, Thompson began the ‘interview’.<br/>
“You told the police that you handed yourself into this morning that you were kidnapped, correct?”<br/>
“Yes, I was kidnapped by some maniacal fan, who’d found out where I was being unfairly held. Some safety and justice system you’re running here. Can you tell me how some random citizen found out the exact location of such a renowned celebrity as myself?”<br/>
“Actually, I’ll be asking the questions here, Miss Stark,” Thompson quickly realised he needed to establish authority over this dynamic personality.<br/>
“Well, in that case, I can assure you I won’t be answering many of your questions any time soon.”<br/>
He wondered whether he should be frustrated by now. Usually, he felt he would be, but he found himself enjoying this. He did always find feisty women amusing.<br/>
“Well, in that case,” he mimicked the glaring woman in front of him, leaning forward slightly. “You’re in for the longest interview you’ve ever had, Miss.”<br/>
He stopped enjoying the situation after a few hours. He decided he was never going to find a feisty woman amusing ever again; they would all remind him of this torment.<br/>
This was supposed to be his moment. Chief Dooley was relying on him – yes, maybe just as a scapegoat – but either way, he was showing himself up. She was showing him up, sat smugly across from him. Despite how argumentative she had proved, she hadn’t spoken for two whole hours. Nothing he said urged any response from her. Dooley had come in himself to have a go, but she wouldn’t budge. They even brought Krzeminski in – admittedly with a different approach and it seemed to be more for the agent’s pleasure – but all that changed was her expression to one of disgust as she glared at the dim-witted man before her. They had been stood in the room next door for half an hour watching her as she hummed on the other side of the mirror. Maybe she thought she was untouchable; all celebrities seemed to think that these days. Maybe she had nothing to lose. Maybe this was part of Stark’s plan, to waste their time and make fools out of them while he was off who knows where doing who knows what. It was clear to Thompson that the Chief beside him shared the same concerns as he stared at the infuriating woman with a clenched jaw.<br/>
“Worst part is, the stick thing still ain’t appealing to me, even after all this,” Dooley admitted, being the first to speak after a long silence. “I guess she’s just a carrot kind of suspect…”<br/>
“What now then, Chief?” Thompson really couldn’t see a way forward from here. He was hugely relieved that Dooley wasn’t resorting to their usual technique; as infuriating as she was, he knew for a fact he wouldn’t be able to bring himself to lay a hand on her, at least not in that way. Strangely, he didn’t think it was just because she was a woman or a celebrity – there was just something else in him, probably irrational, telling him he didn’t want to.<br/>
For once, it seemed Dooley didn’t have a plan. This only made Jack feel more agitated.<br/>
“Honestly, Thompson, the only logical thing I can see to do here is to let her go, but that’s exactly what she wants, and we can’t give her that.”<br/>
He paused and looked at the agent beside him, who had suddenly straightened up where he stood: Thompson had had a potentially redeeming revelation.<br/>
“But maybe we can give her something…”<br/>
Tonya looked up as Jack walked in through the connecting door for what must have been the eighth time that day.<br/>
He tried not to sigh or show how worn out he was as he took the seat opposite her; it was starting to feel too familiar.<br/>
Leaning forward, he launched into his last resort. “What’s it gonna take for you to cooperate?”<br/>
“Cooperation.”<br/>
“Come again?”<br/>
“You heard me.”<br/>
“What could you possibly want from us? What could the lady who has everything possibly ask for?”<br/>
“Well, I can tell you right now, I certainly don’t have everything, but that’s not what I meant by cooperation.”<br/>
Jack raised an eyebrow. “Do enlighten me.”<br/>
Tonya leaned forward slightly and looked him in the eye to convey her apparent sincerity. “I honestly have no idea where Howard is or what he is doing. He did not sell weapons to the U.S.S.R. and I have not seen him since the last hearing he showed up to, therefore I am simply a concerned sibling asking for any knowledge you have on him and his safety. I’ll be happy to answer questions as best I can if you tell me what you know about my brother.”<br/>
He couldn’t quite believe the audacity of her, though he killed him to admit that she had given him better reasoning than any of them had given her. It did, unfortunately, seem like this was the only deal that would allow them to move forward from here, but he didn’t want to mess this up any more than he already had.<br/>
“Right,” he said, finally. “I’ll have to discuss this… proposition with the Chief.”<br/>
Before she could see his frustrated surrender, he stood up and exited the room, but, of course, she knew she had already won.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author's Note: I'm so sorry I haven't updated recently - I didn't realise how long it had been and as soon as September came, I was so much busier. I managed to find time to write some more, so here is an extra-long chapter followed by a bonus one to make up for it!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Tea and Whisky</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Alcohol (nothing irresponsible)<br/>Spoilers: Agent Carter Season 1</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So, did you go for the ‘vulnerable woman’ ploy you had devised?” Jarvis poured a whisky for the woman sat at the table behind him, while brewing a tea for himself; he had suggested the same for her, but, understandably, she had requested something stronger after the previous hours she had experienced.<br/>Tonya thanked him as he handed her the glass, and she took a sip. “Well, I decided not to in the end…”<br/>Jarvis settled into the chair on the side of the table adjacent to where she was sat. Ordinarily, he would have sat opposite, but he realised that she was probably tired of someone talking to her across a table at this point. “Oh, how come?”<br/>“I thought they might pull the ‘actress counterargument’ and consider it all a performance.”<br/>“Well, I do believe you would have been tremendously convincing.”<br/>“Hm, thank you, Mr Jarvis. Anyway, I didn’t fancy unnecessarily embarrassing myself in front of Agent Thomspon…”<br/>“Agent Thompson? I can’t say I’ve heard him mentioned before… Any reason you were concerned of his opinions on you?”<br/>“No! None at all! He just happened to be the agent interrogating me and I decided that I wasn’t going to make a fool of myself in front of him; it was clear his ego was already elated enough…”<br/>“Of course…”<br/>“Anyway,” Tonya continued, forcefully changing the subject in a way she hoped didn’t make her seem as flustered as she felt. “I think my change of plan actually gave me better results.”<br/>“Oh?” Jarvis’ interest was successfully diverted, to her relief. However, he did secretly make a mental note not to forget her mention of Agent Thompson.<br/>“Mhmm,” she nodded with a proud smirk. “I managed to convince them that I truly knew nothing of Howard’s whereabouts or plans and was simply a worried sister looking for information. I reckon they pretty much told me everything they know so far, which, thankfully, isn’t very much, although I can’t say it gives me much faith in our supposed ‘intelligence’ agencies.”<br/>Jarvis chuckled quietly to himself. “Well, that is impressive. Perhaps you should have been an agent along with Miss Carter.”<br/>Tonya laughed. “Oh, I don’t think so. It was thoroughly exhausting, and I wasn’t even the one conducting the interrogation! Oh, but,” Jarvis raised an amused eyebrow as she giggled to herself at a memory. “You’ll love this… they clearly didn’t want any publicity on the situation, so they kept referring to my questioning as ‘a different kind of interview’ to the ones I am used to. Can you believe that?”<br/>She grinned as Jarvis laughed; it was an almost unusual sound coming from the usually composed and formal man, but she was proud of the fact that she would be regarded by him as one of the few people able to humour him in such a way. <br/>“That is amusing.” he confessed, with the remnants of his laughter still on his face.<br/>With a final smile, she rose from her seat. “Right then, I best get ready: I’m meeting Peggy at Spider Raymond’s club to see if I can help her recover the first of Howard’s stolen bad babies.”<br/>Jarvis’ expression immediately returned to a more familiar one of concern. “Do you think it’s wise to show your face so soon after your release? The agents Miss Carter works with aren’t entirely idiotic – I’m sure they’ll show up too to have their own look around. You might end up throwing away the work you did today if they catch you.”<br/>Tonya gave him a frown of her own and shook her head. “I hardly think it will be that risky. Besides, I could prove a useful distraction: it’d be better for one of them to recognise me than Peggy.”</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Starlit Hour</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Violence, death and a slight innuendo<br/>Spoilers: Agent Carter Season 1<br/>Author's Note: I’ve changed a tiny bit of the chronology in the episode to make it fit with the story better, just in case anyone picked up on me being inaccurate hehe. Also I lowkey hate this chapter and idk why so pls tell me what you honestly think of it!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They stepped out of the taxi after thanking the driver and ducked away from the spotlight created by an overhead streetlight to converse for a moment before entering the club.<br/>“So, it probably isn’t the wisest idea to stick together while we’re in the club, since you’re trying to avoid attention and I’m afraid that’s all I’m gonna bring,” Tonya clarified their previous plans, glancing around furtively through the dark lace of her hat: she’d donned the accessory for the commute, but was planning on leaving it at the door, since it would prove useless once inside as it would be near impossible for her not to be noticed given the proximity of everyone in the club. It wouldn’t be unusual for her to be seen in such an esteemed venue, but her presence would still draw eyes, like the arrival of any celebrity would, and that was the exact opposite of what Peggy needed for herself. “Though you might accidentally end up with a few eyes on you anyway, Peg: you look stunning.” Though she smiled at the compliment, Peggy prayed it wasn’t too close to the truth, as she wanted to remain as unnoticed as possible.<br/>However, she had decided to use Tonya’s fame to her advantage, and they had planned for the actress to be a quick diversion of any unwanted attention directed at Peggy. The only person’s focus she needed was Spider Raymond’s; she had located a blonde wig to appeal to his notorious ‘type’ and thankfully Tonya, being a brunette, did not indulge the man’s taste.<br/>“I’ll go in first, then you can slip in a few minutes later, once I’ve distracted the majority of attention, right?”<br/>Peggy nodded at her friend. “That’s the idea – let’s hope it works,” she smirked. “If this goes to plan, you should consider a change of job: you’d make a good agent.”<br/>Tonya laughed. “I’m only here for the recognition; you know how much I love the spotlight…” she joked before turning to walk into the club, calling over her shoulder. “I’ll hear you if you need me.”<br/>She had adapted some communication devices to fit in her earring and in Peggy’s bracelet, though she wasn’t sure she’d be able to make use of it without being noticed, so she prayed she wouldn’t need to.<br/>Less than five minutes later, everything seemed to be going well. The moment she stepped into the warm, busy room, Peggy saw Tonya shaking hands with a small congregation within the crowded dance floor, as numerous others muttered and gasped around her as they realised who she was. A photographer jumped around her, flashing his camera more than a few times to capture what seemed like every angle in existence – she’d have to be sure to avoid him. She wondered how many stories the papers would create out of this, given the situation that had unfolded over the last week.<br/>Returning her focus to the task at hand now that her distraction had been neatly provided, she surveyed the rest of the club. Unfortunately, Tonya’s previous comment proved correct as she was approached by a man in a grey suit. Why on earth he would come to her when arguably the most famous actress in America was in the room, she had no idea – Tonya would certainly have remarked that Peggy greatly underestimated her own beauty.<br/>“You look like a lady looking to dance.” the man mused, taking a sip of his drink.<br/>Turning to him to offer a false smile, she replied in what she hoped was a convincing accent. “I’m afraid I’d only step on your toes.”<br/>To her relief, the man seemed to get the message faster than others might or maybe he just gave up easily. “Another time perhaps…” With a sigh, he walked away, leaving her to continue her observations.<br/>Her nerves grew slightly as she noticed the excitement of Tonya’s presence seemed to have worn off as the actress had gone to speak with another woman who she vaguely recognised as Ella Fitzgerald. She let out a breath though when she realised than everyone else was either dancing or glancing over to the two renowned women at the side of the room; she heard a few mumbled discussions of Howard’s scandal and hoped Tonya helping her wouldn’t turn out too badly for the actress.<br/>She felt her stomach drop for real as she turned and saw three of the men she wanted to see least – at any point, but at this moment particularly: Thompson, Krzeminski and Yauch had just swaggered into the room and were currently talking to a man that had approached them, who she presumed was security. Glancing up, she noticed Spider Raymond himself standing in an open doorway to a room above, watching over the inhabitants of his club. The only way up seemed to be the stairs to the right, which were guarded by another security guard; if she was confronted when she tried to go to the upstairs room, she would be in full view of the dance floor, and one of the agents was bound to pick up on it. She would need a more direct distraction now.<br/>Tonya felt a soft vibration on her ear as she said goodbye to Ella, who was off to prepare for her performance with the band on stage. Surreptitiously itching the top of her jawline, she turned up the volume of the device in her earring slightly so she could hear Peggy’s urgent whispers.<br/>“Three S.S.R. agents have just walked in. It would be too risky for me to try and get to Spider Raymond while they’re skulking around – do you think you can divert their attention for a bit?”<br/>Her eyes darted around the room until they landed on Jack, flanked by two other men, paused just past the entrance as though they were taking in the contents of the room before them. She felt her heart skip a beat as she spotted him; she put it down to the adrenaline of the situation as she reached to adjust her hair and turn the volume back down after answering Peggy.<br/>“I’m on it.”<br/>She glided over to the three men and Jack almost jumped as she planted herself directly in front of him; he’d been so busy scrutinising the room that he’d somehow missed her.<br/>“I wouldn’t have put you down as a dancing man, Agent Thompson.”<br/>He caught his breath as he tried not to look her up and down too obviously. She was wearing a red dress as she often was; he remembered his surprise when he had seen her earlier that day in a pale pink – he’d always imagined her in the red she was so famous for – she practically owned the colour. It framed her shoulders nicely and opened out into a floaty skirt at her waist. It seemed to glow in the golden light, but that may have just been her. Despite the substantial heels she wore, he noticed that the top of her head was only at his chin.<br/>After what he hoped wasn’t too long of a pause, he replied. “Well, actually, I’m here for business.”<br/>“Really?” she raised a curious eyebrow. “Would this business happened to be related to our earlier – what did you call it? – interview?”<br/>He glanced around slightly anxiously, hoping no one that looked too much like a reporter had overheard. Nodding his head at the agents beside them, he gave instructions to leave him alone with Tonya.<br/>“Check the place out,” he muttered as they nodded with slightly more reproachful looks than he would have liked. He wasn’t sure why he’d wanted them out of the way, but he supposed it was best for them to get on with the investigation if he was going to be talking to Tonya.<br/>“You think we’ve got anything better to do at the office?” he tried not to look at her as he spoke, less to fulfil his real purpose for being there, but more because he felt as though he might not be able to form a coherent sentence under her direct gaze. He supposed she just had that effect on everyone when she was wearing that kind of dress. “That brother of yours has created quite the scandal.”<br/>“Hm, or men with nothing better to do have turned an unfortunate situation into something bigger than it is.”<br/>He discovered his irritation was enough of a buffer to the nerves in his chest to allow him to meet her eye. “Or maybe the two of you are hiding more than you let on.”<br/>Her gaze did not waver, and he tried not to falter. He watched as her firm stare softened into a happier expression when a song started up behind her; he glanced up to where she was now looking at Ella Fitzgerald on stage, singing ‘The Starlit Hour’.<br/><i>Love here in the starlit hour.<br/>Oh, heaven is in your eyes.</i><br/>Suddenly, he felt himself being pulled towards the swirling mass of couples dancing in the centre of the room, trying not to let his face grow red as he noticed people craning their necks to look at who Tonya had selected to join her on the dance floor.<br/><i>While the wind is sobbing,<br/>Underneath the stars,</i><br/>He didn’t manage to say anything at all until she’d spun around to place one hand on his upper arm and entwine the other with his; he found himself looping his other arm around her to rest his hand on her back.<br/><i>Both our hearts are throbbing,<br/>Like two guitars.</i><br/>“I thought you didn’t have me down as a dancing man?” he managed to smirk at her as he copied her previous words. It was at this moment, he realised the truth behind this statement: he hadn’t danced properly like this with a woman since before the war.<br/><i>Love here in the starlit hour,<br/>Night whispering lullabies.</i><br/>Thankfully, he seemed to remember enough as they swayed and twirled to the band and singer. Tonya shrugged, returning the smile. “Dear Ella’s singing: what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t dance to her song?”<br/><i>Let me dream forever,<br/>Underneath the silvery skies.</i><br/>She glanced over his shoulder to see the security guard on the stairs allow Peggy past. She hoped she had been subtle, but she needn’t have worried, as Jack had been using that moment to check where his agents were up to. Unsurprisingly, he saw Krzeminski flirting with a pretty red-haired woman at the side of the room. He tensed up slightly as he caught Yauch’s questioning eye; he knew dancing with Tonya wasn’t the best idea by any account – he technically had more important things to do and a federal agent should do their best not to draw attention to themselves: dancing with a celebrity didn’t exactly fit that criteria. He quickly looked back down, only to meet Tonya’s gaze, which didn’t help to settle his drumming heart. He wondered whether she could feel it as he held her against him.<br/><i>Will it be just as sweet again,<br/>The glamor, the glory that we know?</i><br/>“Are you going to make a habit out of showing up wherever I’m investigating?” he asked in a tone he hoped sounded more joking than wistful.<br/><i>Will I find when we meet again,<br/>The glamor, the glory’s still a glow?</i><br/>“Oh, don’t flatter yourself, Agent Thompson. You seem to be forgetting how popular I am in places like this. Maybe I should be commenting on how you may be developing a habit of investigating wherever I am present…”<br/>Despite this not being his purpose at all, he felt himself grow slightly flustered at the thought.<br/><i>But tonight, let us forget tomorrow,<br/>Here under the midnight blue,</i><br/>“Jack. My name’s Jack,” He almost stuttered to explain as she raised her eyebrows. “Since we’re dancing, I thought we might as well drop the formalities.”<br/><i>Love will bloom and flower,<br/>In the starlit hour with you.</i><br/>She hummed in agreement, laughing slightly as he twirled her around before pulling her back to him.<br/>“What exactly are you investigating, Jack? There can’t be much else to do after everything I filled in for you earlier today.”<br/>“Well, you didn’t exactly clear our heads. Guilty or not, your brother’s inventions are all over the place. However, that is strictly confidential information,” he caught himself before he started chatting too much about a private investigation, frowning slightly as she nodded with mock severity. “But, while we’re here, I can ask you a few more questions that might help us along.”<br/>His heart dropped slightly as she rolled her eyes and he felt her grow more agitated. “I didn’t ask you to dance so you could continue to ‘interview’ me, Jack.”<br/>“Why did you ask me to dance?” he asked, more to change the subject in case she decided to ditch him right there, but also because he couldn’t help his curiosity. The song had long ended, but she hadn’t left him yet.<br/>This time, he raised his eyebrows as he saw the faintest dust of red appear on her cheeks, though her cocky grin almost disguised it completely. “That is strictly confidential information, Agent.”<br/>He couldn’t help but chuckle and felt the sudden urge to do much more than spin her round the dance floor.<br/>Peggy paused on the stairway outside the door of Spider Raymond’s office to reapply some of her lipstick. The door must have been ajar, because she heard a man fairly close address who she guessed was Spider Raymond.<br/>“Tonya Stark is here, sir: arrived about ten minutes ago – thought you’d like to know.”<br/>The reply was slightly fainter, but she heard it clear enough. “Stark? That’ll get us in the papers tomorrow. I’ll have to go down and welcome her myself later.”<br/>With that, she heard the door click shut, and the retreating footsteps of the man as he exited down another hallway. Once she was sure he was out of the way, she continued up the last few steps and knocked on the tall, polished doors concealing the club owner.<br/>It all went fairly smoothly after that. She had paused slightly as she went to close the folding doors to the overhead balcony to see if she could catch sight of Tonya. She was slightly taken aback to see her dancing with Agent Thompson; personally, it would have been her last resort for a distraction, but it seemed to have worked, so she wasn’t going to complain.<br/>It would have been rather hypocritical of her to comment anyway, since her plan entailed kissing Raymond, which was repulsively easier than she expected. The biggest shock came when she opened the safe to find an unsettling, glowing orb rather than the scrap of paper Howard had mentioned.<br/>“Crikey O’Reilly…” she muttered to herself, before straightening up and hurrying to the phone on the desk after she had placed the de trop object beside the dial box.<br/>It only rang twice before she heard her new companion’s voice at the other end.<br/>“Jarvis residence.”<br/>“They’ve weaponised it.”<br/>“Miss Carter?”<br/>She rolled her eyes at the unnecessary enquiry. “Do you know anyone else handling high explosives at this time of night?”<br/>“As a matter of fact, no,” Her eyes would roll straight out of her head at this rate. “Other than Miss Stark, though I was led to believe you were together on this mission.”<br/>He really was jumping straight into the espionage life, wasn’t he?<br/>“It’s just that I promised my wife a soufflé and if I don’t get it in the oven by–”<br/>“Mr Jarvis, what was once a theory is now a bomb, so apologies to your wife, but dinner will have to wait.”<br/>“No, you’re quite right, but wasn’t the purpose of Miss Stark’s attendance to be a first-hand assistance should an issue such as this arise?”<br/>It amazed her that he so simply referred to a luminescent bomb as an ‘issue’.<br/>“Yes, well, she’s currently dancing as a distraction.” she replied, picking up the sphere to inspect it more closely.<br/>There was a short pause in which Peggy frowned, followed by a rather reserved and quiet reply. “Oh, I see…”<br/>She would have face-palmed had she not been holding a glowing orb in the hand that wasn’t holding the telephone.<br/>“Not that kind of ‘dancing distraction’, Mr Jarvis, it’s not that type of club.”<br/>She heard an embarrassedly relieved sigh on the other end of the line and continued, in order to fully clear up the confusion.<br/>“Agent Thompson was in danger of becoming an inhibition, so I believe she asked him to dance to get him out of the way. Thankfully, it is apparently working - he must have been thoroughly invested in his surprise at her presence.”<br/>“Agent Thompson, did you say?”<br/>She frowned again. “Yes, why?”<br/>“Oh, no reason – only I do believe she mentioned him earlier.”<br/>“Well, he did interrogate her today, so it would make sense,” Peggy didn’t seem to realise Jarvis’ implications; there were more pressing matters currently playing on her mind. “Well? Are you able to assist me instead or do I need to start evacuating the club?”<br/>“Yes, sorry, Mr Stark left a note. Hold the line…”<br/>As much as she was admittedly enjoying being whirled around by Jack, Tonya was growing more anxious as Peggy’s absence grew longer by the minute. She did her best not to let it show, but Jack had stopped caring about Yauch and Krzeminski by this point, and so his full attention was on the woman in his arms.<br/>“You alright, Stark? Am I stepping on your toes?” He sincerely hoped he wasn’t.<br/>She blinked slightly as she turned back to look at him before smiling and shaking her head. “Not at all. In fact, you’re quite good. Do you take girls dancing every night or something?”<br/>“Actually, you’re my first dance since the war.” Ordinarily, he never would have said such a thing out loud, but somehow didn’t mind admitting this to her, albeit with a bashful smile.<br/>Her eyebrows raised in disbelief. “Really? Well, you could never tell. You’re a natural: maybe you should think about a life onstage.”<br/>He laughed properly at this and she felt her eyes crinkle fondly at the sound. “I think spinning you around a club is a little different to tap dancing on Broadway, sweetheart.”<br/>“You never know, it might be your calling.” She tried to look genuine but couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face.<br/>He was about to make another witty comment when her expression suddenly changed completely as she watched something behind him. He almost reached for the gun in his waistband until she spoke up.<br/>“Well, thank you for this dance, Jack, it’s been wonderful, but I’m being summoned by Ella again, so I really should go see her,” she spoke rapidly and stepped away. He reminded himself not to let his hands linger as she drew back; this had purely been part of the investigation, even if he hadn’t obtained anything useful. “We should do this again sometime, though, if you’re ever investigating where I am again.”<br/>He could have sworn she winked as she slipped away, but she was gone before he could say or do anything in return.<br/>Turning around to watch her as she left, he found she had completely disappeared. Almost immediately, however, the gap she left was filled by Agent Yauch.<br/>“Thompson, at least two people have gone up and come back from Spider Raymond’s office: I think it’s high time we paid him a visit ourselves if you’re done cutting a rug.”<br/>Despite being initially distracted by the sudden absence of his dancing partner, he managed to look irked at the last remark, but decided not to waste any more time by retaliating and strode off with him to collect Krzeminski. He didn’t realise until he was at the base of the stairs that the woman they had pulled the agent away from had been Ella Fitzgerald herself, but she certainly hadn’t been accompanied by Tonya. On the last stair before the dance floor disappeared from view, he turned again for a final glance over the room, he was left dissatisfied again, even more so now that he was also thoroughly confused.<br/>The Chief wasn’t going to be happy. Spider Raymond was dead on the floor when they walked in, a bullet hole in the middle of his head.<br/>“Seal the damn exits.”<br/>Even after their search of the building and questioning of as many inhabitants as they could, the blonde or the green-suited man that had been sighted by a few was nowhere to be seen. Jack tried to convince himself that they were the only people he was searching for, but he couldn’t deny that he had an eye out for a particular red dress as well… only to ask if she had seen anything, of course. At least then she could finally provide something useful for this entire ordeal.<br/>“Find anything?” he asked as Krzeminski and Yauch met him in the middle of the near empty club.<br/>Yauch nodded grimly. “Raymond’s stair guard: in a closet with his face stapled.”<br/>It didn’t sound like they’d be getting any answers out of him any time soon.<br/>“This isn’t gonna go down well with the Chief – another clinker to add to this entire fiasco.”<br/>“I dunno,” Krzeminski sniggered. “Looked like you were having a gas dancing with Stark…”<br/>Jack turned to him with a steely expression. “I actually managed to gather some information from that… encounter, Krzeminski,” he lied smoothly. “So, if you don’t want me to tell the Chief you spent the whole time chatting up every woman in the club, I’d keep your trap shut if I were you.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Just Noticing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Mention of explosive, but no actual explosion<br/>Spoilers: Agent Carter Season 1</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Did you find– what the hell is that?!” Tonya gaped at the glowing object in Peggy’s clutch, which she had opened only a crack once she was sure no one was around the back alley they had hurried down.<br/>
“Apparently Howard didn’t account for the fact that the piece of paper could become more than a formula.”<br/>
“Apparently so…” she muttered, cursing her brother as Peggy snapped the bag shut. “This thing is bad news; I never really wanted to see it become a reality. We need to get it back to Jarvis and diffuse it right now.”<br/>
Peggy shook her head. “People know you were here now. If they make any sort of connection to you and this, you’ll surely be incriminated, which won’t look good for you or Howard, especially considering you were released from custody only hours ago. You go home and make sure you’ve got an alibi; I’ll sort this.”<br/>
“You sure? I know this thing inside and out, Peg, it’s not pleasant.” Tonya frowned, understanding the precautions she had to take but worrying for her friend’s safety with the concerning object.<br/>
“I’ll be fine: I’ll call you as soon as I’ve diffused it or if I need any help.”<br/>
Tonya nodded. “Make sure you do; I’ll be ready if you need me. Good luck, Peg – we’re one step closer to Howard’s freedom, though I’m beginning to wonder whether he’s worth the trouble.” she joked; of course, he was, she just hoped there wasn’t much more trouble ahead.<br/>
She tapped softly on the front door, but it was enough for the vigilant Jarvis to hear as she saw him through the clouded glass, hurrying down the hallway to let her in. She hadn’t thought until she had seen him, but it was lucky he was still up to unlock the door for her.<br/>
She had watched Peggy climb into the first cab that stopped, which didn’t take long as the traffic was practically racing to offer her a ride; it seemed Spider Raymond wasn’t the only one with a thing for blondes, although she didn’t doubt they’d be any less eager if Peggy wasn’t in disguise. In an effort to look slightly less conspicuous and avoid recognition as she emerged from the alley after Peggy’s cab had driven away, Tonya had replaced her veiled hat. Hearing a slight commotion in the club, she was thankful that she did and hurriedly hailed a cab before she could get roped into the fuss.<br/>
Once she was safely seated and driving away, she’d decided to remove the article in the hopes that the driver could be used as a witness of her distance from any sort of events if the need was to arise. However, it turned out that all he proved useful for was an endless spiel of compliments, questions and pleads for autographs upon clocking who he had in the back of his vehicle. She supposed she should have expected this, but she wasn’t used to being driven by anyone other than Jarvis, and he was far more pleasant company that the enthralled stranger she had to endure the journey with. He seemed a little too enraptured for her liking, so she judiciously directed him to drop her off on a street a good ten minutes from her house. After reassuring him that she would be perfectly fine, thanking and paying him for the ride and ensuring he was out of sight and not planning to follow her home, she began the small trek back to the house. It wasn’t ideal after the night she had, but it was better than her private address being published in tomorrow’s paper, especially given it wasn’t technically her address.<br/>
Jarvis had so kindly insisted she stayed with him and Ana rather than alone in one of her own homes while Howard was away. If she and Howard didn’t have an ongoing project that required sleepless nights, she lived alone anyway – as long as you didn’t count the occasional ‘companion’ an actual resident (she certainly wasn’t as extravagant as Howard in this area of fame, but it was enough for it to be notable in the press more than a few times) – but Jarvis and Ana had allowed no excuses, arguing that at least while this business of scandal was continuing, they would much rather know what was happening with her, to put them both at ease. She had agreed to stay with them for this reason, particularly for Jarvis, who got rather panicked when she or Howard found themselves in more serious trouble than the usual kind; she could tell he had been on edge since this whole affair started, and her being taken into custody and Howard leaving the country certainly wouldn’t have helped his nerves. That, and she adored the Jarvises, so staying with two of her closest friends was no unwelcome offer.<br/>
“I realised you wouldn’t have a key. Apologies, I should have given you the spare,” the butler whispered, as he closed the door behind her and then immediately moved to help remove her coat.<br/>
Tonya felt a pang of guilt as she realised Ana must have been asleep and she had kept Jarvis up beyond his hours. “Jarvis, you needn’t have waited up, I’m sorry I’m so late…”<br/>
The man shook his head rapidly. “Nonsense, despite what I told Miss Carter, I do understand that a life of espionage often requires the expansion of boundaries. Besides, it wouldn’t be very hospitable of me to let you return to a silent home after the night you’ve had, would it?”<br/>
“Well, you’ve been hospitable enough letting me stay here at all, honestly,” she continued hurriedly as Jarvis began tutting and dismissing her remarks. “But thank you, Jarvis, it’s truly kind of you.”<br/>
He smiled in either acceptance or dismissal, she wasn’t sure, but he spoke before she could work it out. “I assume it went well. Has Miss Carter returned home?”<br/>
“Yes, thankfully, it all ran rather smoothly, other than the piece of paper turning out to be a glowing, highly explosive orb. I offered to help Peggy safely diffuse it, but she believed it was too risky for it to be seen anywhere near me or my houses, so she took it back with her to her apartment.”<br/>
“I see, well, let’s pray she deals with it without any snags. She did telephone upon discovering the unpleasant surprise – she said you were preoccupied dancing with Agent Thompson…”<br/>
Tonya had only been half listening as Jarvis bustled over to the coat-stand after whisking her coat away before she could hang it up herself. She had been undoing the small buckles on her shoes, but her attention snapped back at the name Jarvis finished with. It took her a moment to regain her composure.<br/>
“Yes, he was close to becoming a hindrance, so I distracted him, rather well, I think.”<br/>
“I’m sure you did.”<br/>
She frowned. “What are you implying, Jarvis?”<br/>
Jarvis shrugged nonchalantly, brushing the other coats on the stand so she couldn’t see him smirking. “Nothing at all, Miss, I just noticed that he has been mentioned frequently over the last 24 hours.”<br/>
“Oh, have you been counting?” she asked sarcastically, hiding her slight embarrassment with irritation.<br/>
“Just noticing.” he repeated cryptically.<br/>
Tonya scoffed and straightened up as she set her shoes aside. “You’re lucky your wife is my best friend, or I’d be tempted to dismiss you right now.” Her words held no truth, of course, but she had no better comeback and took the opportunity to go to wait by the telephone in the lounge for Peggy’s call.<br/>
“Unless Agent Thompson can steam laundry as well as I can, I don’t believe that’s the best idea.” Jarvis muttered, allowing a smirk on his face now that she was out of sight, but evidently not out of earshot as a furious whisper sounded down the hall as soon as his comment was heard.<br/>
“Jarvis!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author's Note: Hi guysss just thought I'd let you know that I had a random burst of inspiration and suddenly had an idea of the plotline of this for Season 2 woop even though I'm not even certain where this Season 1 plotline is going, but here we are lolll you probably didn't need to know, but up until now I only had a vague idea for Season 2 and was thinking of just leaving it at Season 1, but lucky for you this tragic piece of writing is going even further yayyy</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The Promise of Two Lives</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Mention of explosive, but no actual explosion, mention of sleeping with someone, but nothing at all explicit (never will be btw) and angst over sexism<br/>Spoilers: Agent Carter Season 1</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Doctor Vanko, what do we have here?”<br/>Peering into his microscope, the Soviet scientist replied: “A lanthanum carbon alloy. Rather clever…”<br/>They had taken the defused nitramine shell to the lab at one of the Stark Industries buildings, out of town enough to avoid suspicion. Initially, Jarvis had suggested Tonya look at it in the private lab of one of her and Howard’s shared homes, but she was anxious to avoid doing anything that may incriminate her brother further; studying one of his supposedly missing weapons in the lab of their own home wouldn’t exactly help his plea of innocence if the S.S.R. decided to search their homes again.<br/>She had resolved that they take it to one of the main industry buildings, where they could appear slightly less conspicuous in the event of an investigation. It also allowed her to utilise the help of the Starks’ good friend and business partner, Anton Vanko.<br/>“Equally, rather unstable, am I right?” Tonya added, not doubting that she was.<br/>Vanko inclined his head with a smile. “Quite.”<br/>“So, it couldn’t have come from very far away.” Peggy mused as she walked around the desk to lay out a map on the table opposite.<br/>Tonya handed Vanko a phial containing another sample so he could observe that also and they followed Peggy round to the table as Jarvis unfolded his spectacles to join them.<br/>“Well, before the war, there were only three refineries capable of something like this,” Ticking them off in his mind, he listed: “Um, the Navy tore down Franklin Chemical–”<br/>The actress surprised them slightly by giving a snort. “For the best, I suppose – they wouldn’t have a clue about what to do with this anyway.”<br/>Vanko looked amused as he continued. “Eaglestar converted to Diesel, so that only leaves–”<br/>Peggy tapped the map. “Roxxon.”<br/>“Right.” The scientist confirmed as Jarvis glanced knowingly at Tonya, who gave an audible groan.<br/>Peggy quirked an eyebrow at her, so Jarvis offered an explanation. “The Starks aren’t exactly on the best terms with the founder of Roxxon, after certain unwanted… advances on his part.”<br/>Tonya rolled her eyes at Jarvis dancing around the real reason with his euphemisms. “He tried to sleep with me, so Howard slept with his wife.” she interjected bluntly; Vanko was looking increasingly entertained, especially as Jarvis’ complexion reddened at her frank speech.<br/>Making an expression that was decidedly approving, Peggy nodded. “Well, I can’t say that isn’t fair…”<br/>Desperate to return to the matter at hand, Jarvis gave an embarrassed cough. “Roxxon…?”<br/>“Ah, yes,” Peggy looked down at the map again as Tonya and Vanko moved their focus to the phial in the latter’s hands. “This has to be 200 acres. It would take weeks to search…”<br/>Jarvis also seemed newly uninterested by the map, as he nervously glanced over Peggy to the two scientists. “Doctor Vanko, please tell me that isn’t still, um, volatile.”<br/>“Oh, volatile – no, no…”<br/>“Active?” Tonya added with a small chuckle. “Oh, yes.”<br/>Jarvis cringed and looked away, trying to convince himself that if he couldn’t <i>see</i> the object, then it wasn’t <i>really</i> a danger at all.<br/>Vanko explained, offering a small amount of reassurance to the uneasy butler. “The nitramine still emits low levels of vita-radiation–”<br/>“Vita-rays?” Peggy chimed in suddenly.<br/>“Yeah, we occasionally use them in our experiments to stabilize the–”<br/>Yet again, the poor Soviet was interrupted as Peggy quickly refolded the map and began marching out of the room. “I know what they do.”<br/>Tonya frowned momentarily before landing on the same wavelength of understanding and she felt her heart give a jolt of pity for her friend. Jarvis had already uttered a goodbye to Vanko and was following the agent out of the room, so she went to do the same, but stopped as the man behind her spoke.<br/>“It is good to see you, Antonia. You haven’t been here in a long time; films keeping you busy, eh?”<br/>She turned and gave him a slightly saddened smile. This short visit was enough to make her heart ache as she realised how much she had missed this part of her life. Sure, it was always there, and she was never really away for long, but he was right – it had been a while since she’d done something proper. Perhaps that was part of the reason she had suggested bringing the shell here; an excuse to visit an old friend and an old lifestyle. She almost felt bad for abandoning him, as such: they had spent countless hours in this lab, she, him and Howard, experimenting, discovering, and Vanko was a good partner – one of the few she and Howard would admit shared nearly their level of intelligence, <i>nearly</i>. Now he was mostly alone here, with Howard on the run and her busy elsewhere. It had been longer than she had realised, though she had promised herself her two lives wouldn’t become so incongruous. She had also promised Howard.<br/>“Acting? All that singing and dancing nonsense? Since when have you liked that sort of stuff?”<br/>“Since someone told me I was good at it, Howard.”<br/>He had scoffed: he knew she wasn’t one to be hung up one people’s opinions. He would have been lying if he’d said it hadn’t been a rather nasty shock to see his little sister’s name plastered on posters around town when he’d made a brief return home from University. “You’re good at better stuff than that! You’re a better mathematician than I’ll ever be, that’s for sure.”<br/>She’d rolled her eyes, their expressions comically mirroring one another. “Yes, but you’re the only one who says that.”<br/>“It doesn’t make it any less true!”<br/>“I know, but in this world, that’s not what they care about,” She could still feel the despair she had felt then as she had come to terms with the real world, even before the war. “It doesn’t matter how good I am, if I’m not a man, it means nothing!”<br/>Howard had paused and she had seen in his eyes that he was struggling to come up with a retaliation to that. “It will be different though! Remember our plans? Our industry? We’re gonna build that together, right?”<br/>Then she had paused.<br/>“Right?”<br/>“Howard,” taking a breath, she’d tried to ignore how his voice had quivered, ever so slightly, but enough for her to hear and her heart to crack. “Do you really think they will take the industry seriously if I’m one of the people running it?”<br/>“They will when they see you’re a genius!” He’d been desperately scrabbling for excuses at that point. “I don’t throw that about lightly, you know that. Come on, Ton, this was our dream…”<br/>“It still is! I promise, that won’t change, but I think we both know we need to be more realistic about this. There’s no easy way up the American ladder.”<br/>He’d given a great sigh and she had seen the exact moment he caved. “I know, I just… Surely we can try anyway?”<br/>Tonya had given a sorrowful laugh. “Howard, I love you and I know you can do amazing things, but not even you can create a formula to make this kind of inequality disappear, though I’d love for you to try. People have just got to work at that.”<br/>The silence had been painful, and it still stung her ears now.<br/>“What’re we gonna do then?”<br/>She’d reflected quietly for a second. “Well, I’ve only been in a few shows so far, so we probably shouldn’t get too ahead of ourselves. I’m no one special – I’m not gonna be as big as Whitney Frost or anything! Besides, I’ve not even finished school yet, despite your insistence for me to skip my final year.” <br/>This had elicited a smirk from Howard and provided her a slight relief to the tension that had risen. Swallowing a lump, she had continued cautiously. “I think I can at least make a name for myself this way though, but I’m not wasting all that genius, so I’ll make time for the industry – more time than I’ll give to the shows – but I think it should mainly be yours. You’ll go further that way, Howard, until people stop seeing a woman in proper business as a hindrance.”<br/>Tonya blinked, trying not to show the deeper effect his innocent quip had had on her. “Busier than I’d like, in all honesty, Anton,” she chuckled without any real spirit. “But it’s been good to see you too. Hopefully, I’ll be back sooner and longer next time.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author's Note: Not me disappearing for months and then writing a load of chapters for Season 2 of this book - it's the lack of relevant motivation for me. I'm so sorry I've been gone so long, school has absolutely floored me, and I'm so sorry for this tragic excuse for a chapter - I hate it with everything in me and I'll probably put the flashback somewhere else later and I'm regretting not writing more with Vanko, because I love Tonya and her science bros, but I decided enough was enough so I'm publishing this against my better judgement oop. We have a phat Christmas holiday tho, so expect some more trash in the coming weeks yay. If I don't publish before then, Merry Christmas to everyone in advance! If you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope you have a nice day anyway! I hope you're all still vibing and hanging in there (we do be trying lol) - messages are always open on my Wattpad and Tumblr (unless messages is a thing on here idk but they're open too if they exist lol) (one of the few things I do keep updated on oof) so ya ly all yeet.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Futile but Enjoyable</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Explosion<br/>Spoilers: Agent Carter Season 1</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Well-armed for a mothball facility,” Peggy remarked, peering through a pair of binoculars. “Wouldn’t you say?”<br/>Tonya hummed in agreement. She and Peggy were wearing what Tonya had called ‘mission gear’, but wasn’t massively different from what Peggy wore on a day-to-day (aside from a rather fetching brown leather jacket – she <i>must</i> borrow that at some point). Tonya had considered disguising herself in some way, but quickly realised she was rarely seen in anything other than an expensive party dress, so she should be relatively unrecognisable anyway. “Stay sharp, Jarvis.” she said, patting the shoulder of the butler in the seat in front of her as she moved to exit the car.<br/>“But I’m coming with you.” the butler piped up.<br/>She and Peggy shared a look. “Mr Jarvis, that cook you caught stealing the spoons, was she a large woman? Violent?” the agent quipped.<br/>Tonya gave a snort. “Nope.”<br/>As she opened the door closest to her and stepped out, she heard Jarvis interjecting hurriedly. “But she had a vicious tongue and extremely long…” he trailed off as he caught on to Peggy’s sarcasm and it was only after the agent had firmly shut the door behind her that he dejectedly finished his sentence. “…fingernails.”<br/>The actress chuckled pitifully and then followed Peggy to scale the fence onto the site. They didn’t face much trouble upon initially entering the building and after Peggy was sure she had located where the nitramine was being produced, Tonya clicked her radio on. “I’ll check down here to make sure they’re the only ones replicating the formula.”<br/>Peggy gave her a nod and set off in the direction the Vita-Ray Detector was indicating. Tonya followed another path, which brought her to a large space full of storage boxes and – bingo! – what looked to be the central powering of the facility. In fact, she was certain it was, as she tracked her mind back to the plans of the building she and Howard had studied when they’d considered purchasing it; at least something good had come out of that debacle.<br/>After shutting down the power, she went to go and find Peggy but knocked into a large box of files. Tonya held her breath for a few seconds, but it seemed she was too far away to be heard by anyone. Looking down at the pile, she was struck with a rather self-indulgent idea; Peggy hadn’t radioed for backup, so she may as well. She scooped up as many as she could hold and once and carried them over to a chute on one side of the room. Remembering the building’s plans again, she knew that chute led to the furnace of the facility and while it was unlikely the furnace was lit and equally unlikely the files were of great importance considering Hugh Jones had left them to collect dust in his unused refinery, she gained a great satisfaction from sending them tumbling down the shaft; very probably futile, but very definitely enjoyable.<br/>“Miss Carter, Miss Stark, it seems that you have company approaching.”<br/>Tonya jumped as Jarvis’ voice sounded quite suddenly from her radio and she winced again as she strained to work out whether someone had heard. Either way, it probably hadn’t worked out well at Peggy’s end and she ventured to relocate her friend as she gave Jarvis a hushed reply.<br/>“Typically, when communicating with associates on a covert mission, it helps if you whisper down the line, Jarvis.”<br/>“Apologies, Miss Stark, I will endeavour to keep that in mind.”<br/>“That’s if Peggy let’s you come along again.”<br/>“Tonya, you should probably think about making your way out of the facility as quickly as you can.” Peggy’s voice chimed into the conversation. “Mr Jarvis, do you think you could bring the car around?”<br/>“Of course, when would you like it?”<br/>Trust the British to make an escape mission sound like a tea order.<br/>“Oh, in about twenty seconds.”<br/>Twenty seconds: she really had meant quickly. Utilising her memory of the building’s map once more and ignoring the bickering over the radio, Tonya navigated her way to the nearest exit, which was closer than she had realised.<br/>“Where’s Miss Stark?” Jarvis enquired once Peggy was actually on the inside of the car.<br/>Peggy tried to convince herself Tonya had found a way out; it was a skill of the Starks to weasel out of difficult situations, though there had admittedly been a lack of that recently. “She’ll be fine, just keep driving,”<br/>Though it would be good to check.<br/>“Tonya, where are you?” She clicked into the radio again after no reply. “Tonya, do you read me?”<br/>A more pressing matter arose as quite suddenly the explosion erupted behind them. “Faster!” Peggy pressured, praying that Tonya had managed to escape the blast; at this rate, she wouldn’t know either way as the blaze loomed threateningly close to the car.<br/>Jarvis slammed his foot on the pedal causing the tires to screech in response. “I am going faster!”<br/>The explosion seemed to retreat on itself, dragging thankfully only the bumper and the registration plate of the car with it. Jarvis pulled to a stop and the two of them leapt out.<br/>“Tonya, can you hear me? Did you get out?” Peggy spoke into the radio desperately as Jarvis looked around himself frantically.<br/>“Hearing you loud and clear, Peg, and I got out just fine.”<br/>They whipped round to see the smirking Stark leaning against a nearby fence.<br/>“How the bloody hell did you get there?”<br/>Tonya shrugged and walked over to join them at the back of the car. “I’m a fast runner.”<br/>Turning their attention to the burning lump where the refinery had been, Tonya’s smirk fast disappeared at the sight. It seemed her mischief with the files down the chute had definitely been futile.<br/>“It would seem it works.” Jarvis remarked.<br/>“Of course it does,” Tonya sighed. “Howard and I created it…”<br/>…and what the hell had they done?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author's Note: I am so sorry I've been gone for literally months and now I'm back with the most pathetic chapter oop. I'll probably come back and change this later unless I get massive writer's block again eek. I'm going to publish another chapter though to make up for it (though that one is much better either rip). Annoyingly, I've been able to write loads for future chapters of this book, but I put off writing this one for ages coz I had no idea how to do it and I still hate it now but oh well. Hopefully, I'll be able to publish future chapters sooner though, because I already have most of them done! I hope you're all still vibing in these trying times - my messages are always open if you need someone to talk to (they're one of the few things I stay updated on lol). ALSO idk how it shows up for you guys, but the text always looks rlly clumped together when I post on here, so let me know if the paragraph breaks aren't clear coz I can change them :))</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. All Matters Regarding Tonya Stark</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: None (let me know if I missed anything worth mentioning)<br/>Spoilers: Agent Carter Season 1</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jack smirked as he and Dooley strode down the corridor; he didn’t envy Krzeminski having to dig some evidence out of a giant metal scrap ball. He wondered whether Dooley had been right in thinking it was the Starks doing; that kind of technology seemed almost alien.<br/>“I need a word with you, Thompson.”<br/>That kind of thing was never good. Jack’s mind tracked rapidly through recent events to try and work out where he might have gone wrong. He’d learnt quite quickly from a young age that staying on the good side of your superiors got you better chances in life, so he was usually very careful to keep it that way. As he came to a halt at Dooley’s indication, he tried not to let his apprehension show as he struggled to think why the Chief might be displeased with him.<br/>“I heard you were getting pretty close with Stark at Spider Raymond’s the other night.”<br/>Jack frowned in confusion. The mission report had already been filed, the Chief knew what had gone down. “Yeah, well we thought we had been, but like we said, the invention was gone by the time–”<br/>“No, no, no,” He was cut off as the Chief waved his hand dismissively. “I meant the broad: Tonya, I heard she was there, and you were apparently more interested in her than her brother’s invention.”<br/>Ordinarily, Jack would have been trying to figure out whether Krzeminski or Yauch was more likely to have ratted him out, but currently his mind was recalling the feeling of Tonya so close to him as they danced around the club. He wondered how many men had been lucky enough to say they’d danced with Tonya Stark – well, probably quite a few, come to think of it.<br/>Dooley’s irritated tone, raising in volume by the second, unpleasantly snatched him from his thoughts. “Now I know your plan was everyone feeling ‘real comfortable’ on this mission, but I thought you were talking exclusively about Raymond when you said that. I didn’t realise you’d meant yourself too.”<br/>Jack realised he’d need a solid excuse to get himself out of this one; Krzeminski’s focus hadn’t exactly been primarily on the mission, but it never looked good to drag a man down to the gutter with you. “I thought I’d be able to get a bit more information from her, Chief, since it wasn’t like the interrogation, so she might have been a bit more willing to talk.”<br/>“Interview,” Dooley corrected. “and I don’t care what you thought, Thompson, I care about what you found out.”<br/>Jack hesitated. “Well, she didn’t say much, but–”<br/>“But at least you had a good time dancing with her, is that right? Look, I like you, Thompson, alright? You’re one of the few agents that I know I can count on, but that’s gonna start to change if you keep slipping up and wasting mission time like this, you hear?”<br/>“Yes, sir. It just didn’t seem appropriate to reject Stark after we’d already upset her that day.”<br/>As soon as he said this, Jack’s mind jumped to ways of backtracking at the irate look on Dooley’s face at another excuse, but the tension dwindled as Dooley’s expression changed to one of intrigue.<br/>“Reject her? What, she asked you to dance?”<br/>Jack nodded slowly, unsure of the relevance of this detail, but jumping on the distraction from Dooley’s exasperation. There were a few moments of silence as Dooley thought this over and Jack almost jumped when the man’s hand landed on his shoulder.<br/>“We can work with this,” the Chief mused, patting the agent’s shoulder thoughtfully. “It might not be much to go on, but don’t it seem weird that she asked to dance with the man who she was apparently furious with for interrogating her only hours before?”<br/>‘Interviewing…’ Jack thought to himself, deciding it wasn’t the moment to correct the Chief out loud.<br/>He watched the shorter man in fascination as he pointed a finger at him, almost gleefully. “She might be soft on you, Thompson, or at least, you’re her current ‘person of interest’, shall we say?”<br/>Jack felt like he should try and deny this but found himself unable to form words; maybe he didn’t want to deny it.<br/>“You might’ve been onto something, Thompson. Krzeminski made you sound like some buffoon wasting my time, but I knew that could never be you.” Jack didn’t even have the headspace to make a mental note to have some words with Krzeminski later for grassing him to the Chief – he was far too enthralled in what the Chief was going to say next in regard to Tonya. “I’m gonna put you in charge of all matters regarding Tonya Stark, how’s that sound?”<br/>He had hardly registered the question. ‘In charge of all matters regarding Tonya Stark’. He certainly liked the sound of that. “Whatever you say, Chief.” He managed to nod his submission to the statement.<br/>Dooley grinned – he seemed almost as elated as Jack by this new development, though for an entirely different reason, Jack was sure. Wait, no – it wasn’t different. They were both pleased for the sake of the investigation, for the advance in the mission. That’s why Jack was happy, what other reason would it be?<br/>“You can go rub that in Krzeminski’s face, if you like: sly jerk thought he was getting you into trouble when in fact he just landed you a pivotal role in our investigation!” Dooley patted his back and walked off. Jack would have usually been grinning at such an opportunity to lord something over someone, especially Krzeminski, but it wasn’t this that had him smiling: ‘in charge of all matters regarding Tonya Stark’ – he’d certainly be seeing a lot more of her than he’d previously thought.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author's Note: I have another chapter lined up, but idk whether to even publish it, because it's mainly a filler and doesn't really add much to the story, but sometimes the mini interactions in those kinds of chapters are fun to read so idk what do you guys think pls I need opinions lol?</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Tea and Romantic Endeavours</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: A few suggestive remarks<br/>Spoilers: Agent Carter Season 1</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tonya quirked an eyebrow as Jarvis bustled around the kitchen preparing a pot of tea. She wasn’t sure if he’d realised, but he had boiled the kettle three times now and the last time she checked, there had been nothing wrong with it. Then again, she never found herself checking the kettle…<br/>“Are you alright there, Jarvis?”<br/>The butler jumped and Tonya became certain that she had snapped him back to reality from whatever troublesome thoughts were occupying his mind. “Yes, quite, thank you, Miss Stark.”<br/>“It’s just I don’t think the kettle will take much more boiling, you know.”<br/>“No,” Jarvis looked down absently at the appliance in front of him. “I suppose not.”<br/>Tonya rolled her eyes and swivelled in her chair, so she was looking at him. “Right, what’s the matter?”<br/>Jarvis gave a rather melodramatic sigh and turned to face her. “I just settled Miss Carter at one of Mr Stark’s less frequented manors, on his insistence.”<br/>She sat up suddenly. “You’ve spoken to Howard?”<br/>Jarvis suddenly looked slightly guilty on realising he’d forgotten to mention that fact to her; considering Tonya seemed to have inherited the few considerate genes of the family, it was unlikely she had heard from him and had probably been worrying about his safety, though she never would let on to such concerns.<br/>“Yes, apologies, it slipped my mind.”<br/>“Is he alright?”<br/>“Perfectly fine and as safe as he can be right now.”<br/>“Was he only calling to offer Peggy a place to crash?”<br/>Jarvis’ hand crept up subconsciously to itch his ear. “Yes, that was all we spoke about, as far as I can remember.”<br/>“Hm, well, I could have let her stay in one of mine,” Tonya frowned. “Which one is she staying in?”<br/>“The one with the specialised oyster oven.” As much as he enjoyed proprieties, Jarvis knew the Starks better than anyone and had realised it was practically useless to refer to things by name when attempting to jog their memory; unless it was superficial or scientific, it was unlikely it had remained in their minds for long.<br/>“That’s one of the ones he doesn’t like me visiting,” she raised her eyebrows and huffed a little, though she said nothing more – she was many things, but a hypocrite was not one of them. “I’m not sure how much Peggy will like staying there…”<br/>“She seemed quite comfortable.”<br/>“What’s the problem then? You’ve practically worn out the kettle – something has to be bothering you and I can’t imagine Peg was much of a hassle.”<br/>“Not at all, she seems a very self-sufficient houseguest. It’s just–” Jarvis sighed again. “I do wish Miss Carter had allowed me to accompany her on the next part of the mission.”<br/>Tonya had to try very hard to suppress her laughter at his moping. “You’re rather enjoying the life of espionage, aren’t you, Jarvis?”<br/>“Well, if you’re going to be like that…” Jarvis muttered sulkily and turned back to making the tea.<br/>“No, no, I’m sorry, I swear I’m not laughing at you!” Tonya took the opportunity to let out a grin while his back was turned, but quickly recovered herself when he faced her again. “Wasn’t she only going to look for a milk truck?”<br/>The butler made a rather comical expression that Tonya believed he thought was somewhat mysterious. It was not at all. “Yes, but who knows what she’ll find!”<br/>“Probably just a milk truck.”<br/>“Either way,” Jarvis continued regardless. “I’d rather like to be involved.”<br/>“Well, I think we can safely say that this mess is far from sorted. I’m sure there’ll be more chances for you to join ‘missions’ in the future,” she grinned, and Jarvis looked at her reproachfully. “Honestly, though, I think Peg has really warmed up to you – faster than she does with most people – you two must have some fancy British connection. She’ll come back to you for help soon, don’t worry.”<br/>Jarvis finally brought the teapot to the table and poured out two cups for each of them and another for his wife, who was due to come home from the shops any moment. “I do hope so.”<br/>“Hello you two!” Ana Jarvis chirped as she came into the kitchen, making them both jump; they hadn’t heard her come in. She chuckled. “Did I catch you by surprise? What were you talking about?”<br/>“Bread.”<br/>“Tea.”<br/>Ana didn’t seem to catch onto their blunder and laughed airily. “Tea? But you’re having tea now.”<br/>Rather comically, Jarvis and Tonya both looked down at the table as though for the first time – ah, so they were.<br/>“I meant, I was just saying to Jarvis, that it’s been ages since you and I have gone out for tea somewhere.” Tonya improvised, though it was true.<br/>Ana hummed in agreement. “Yes, you’re always quite busy, aren’t you?” Tonya looked a little guilty at that. She felt even worse that she’d only thought to say it as an excuse to cover a secret, but she really hadn’t spent enough time with her best friend recently. Amicable as ever, Ana waved a hand in generous dismissal. “I do not blame you, my dear, you have had a lot on your plate.”<br/>“Well, not so much right now, actually,” Tonya mused. Yes, she owed that much to her friend, and a good old catch up with Ana was long overdue. “Let’s go now!”<br/>“You’ve not finished your tea here, though.” Ana noted with bemusement.<br/>“Oh, it’s fine, I know a place that does it better.” she grinned mischievously at a scandalised Jarvis and Ana laughed jovially.<br/>While she adored the attention that she gained from her habitual place in the spotlight, Tonya held a special place in her heart for the tiny little cafés in the city that rarely held more than a few customers at once, especially if two of those customers were herself and Ana. She’d never give up her life of fame – she relished it too much – but she was grateful for the anonymity a large hat and decent pair of sunglasses miraculously granted her when she desired to have tea peacefully with her friend. Though, she probably wouldn’t mind too much if a particularly observant fan caught on and requested an autograph…<br/>“Edwin tells me you went out dancing the other night,” Ana knew her well enough by now to know she certainly wouldn’t have been dancing on her own; Tonya looked up to see the impish smirk Ana supplied with her statement. Ordinarily, she would have returned one of her own, but she surprised herself as she felt heat rise to her cheeks. Observant as ever, it did not go unnoticed to Ana. “You really liked this one then?”<br/>Ana always enjoyed listening to Tonya’s stories of her ‘romantic endeavours’ – Jarvis’ words – as though they were the promiscuous tales of a romance novel. She wondered with amusement whether Howard tried to share recounts of his own with Jarvis; she reckoned the butler would enjoy such stories far less than his wife.<br/>Tonya shrugged. “He was a good dancer.” He wasn’t particularly, but in fairness, he had said it was his first since the war. That was new – she didn’t usually remember details like that. More often than not, she couldn’t even remember their name. She saved her brain space for more important things: the most recent project for her and Howard’s industry; her lines for whatever she was filming at the time; that dress she’d seen in the window of a shop on her way here with Ana; and now, apparently, the details of the life of a certain agent.<br/>“Just a good dancer?” Ana raised her eyebrows, the smirk never leaving her face. To her perplexed annoyance, Tonya found herself blushing even harder.<br/>“Well, to be honest, there was nothing like that at all,” Tonya admitted. “We just danced.”<br/>Ana smiled knowingly, as though she has realised something that Tonya hadn’t. “He must be quite special then…”<br/>“How’d you mean?”<br/>“Well, considering what I know of all your other little… adventures,” Ana giggled. “There isn’t usually a lot of dancing before the rest of the night.”<br/>“Ana!” Tonya gasped, pretending to be scandalised as she struggled to hold back a laugh at her friend’s cheeky remarks. It only began to dawn on her now, but her dance with Jack had been on her mind more than she’d realised over the last few days. She usually flitted so quickly between things – all sorts of things, not just men – she didn’t like to dwell, it made things… difficult. Goodness knows she’d had more than enough to think about at the moment, but now here she was, blushing like a teenager over a modest little dance in a nice club several nights ago. “He was nice…” she concluded.<br/>Gazing at nothing in particular, she missed the glint in her best friend’s eye as she smiled at her. “Well, if you ever end up dancing with him again,” Ana gave her a meaningful wink as Tonya looked at her again. “You must tell me all about it.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author's Note: I'm so sorry it took me so long to publish this bit - I had a phat headache when I'd planned to update and then life happened so here I am more than a week later oop sorryyy. It probably worked out for the best that this chapter was late anyway, because this final version has more bestie moments between Tonya and Ana than my first draft so woop! ALSO I literally have the worst chapter titles so if anyone thinks of better ones while reading this, PLEASE feel free to comment then, because they'll be ten times better than what I come up with haha.</p>
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